Avery Weigh-Tronix has sold its food retail weighing business, Avery Weigh-Tronix, to ITW Inc. (NYSE:ITW). The sale was finalized on the 17th of September and the process of splitting the two parts of the company is now complete. 

 

Said Avery Weigh-Tronix CEO Jerry Bowe, “The decision to sell our ‘retail’ business was not easy, but it was in the best interests of both the Retail and Industrial parts of the company.  This sale allows Avery Weigh-Tronix, which designs, manufactures, sells and services industrial scales, to better focus on its core customers. We can also continue to push into advanced Industrial weighing technologies, software and solutions. 

 

For the divested company which will continue to trade as Avery Weigh-Tronix, a parent company like ITW will allow it to expand its reach in the rest of the world and continue to develop sophisticated retail weighing and food processing products for its current customer base.”

The demerger will affect approximately 300 people in the UK and a further 150 worldwide, all of whom officially joined the new company on September 17. The new company will continue to trade as Avery Weigh-Tronix and will be led by John Watson, formerly the head of Avery Weigh-Tronix UK and Avery Weigh-Tronix North America. Said Watson, “The acquisition brings even more prospects for Avery Weigh-Tronix’s growth. With the backing of a proven development-based owner like ITW, our product engineers can now concentrate on what they do best – designing innovative product ranges aimed at maximizing our customers’ profitable fresh food businesses.” 

With the separation of the two businesses, Avery Weigh-Tronix has become a dedicated retail solutions company, focused solely on developing fresh food weighing systems, software and services for its core retail customers worldwide. It is one of the best known brands in its market and sells to super-markets, butchers, fishmongers and convenience stores in Europe and the United States. Based in Smethwick, near Birmingham, UK, it also has operations in Ireland, France, Germany, Austria and the United States. Avery Weigh-Tronix also sells its products through distributors in other parts of the world.

 

ITW is a $14.1 billion in revenues diversified manufacturer of highly engineered components and industrial systems and consumables. The company consists of approximately 750 business units in 49 countries and employs some 55,000 people.

 

Avery Weigh-Tronix is also based in Smethwick, UK with major operations and manufacturing facilities in Fairmont, MN, USA, Montreal, Quebec, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Ballabgarth, India and Suzhou, China. The streamlined company now employs over 1,500 people worldwide and counts FedEx, the Royal Mail group, Tarmac, Aggregate Industries and UPS among its customers. 

 

Said CEO Bowe, “Avery Weigh-Tronix can now really concentrate on its core strength, industrial weighing. Our products help our customers to be more productive and more profitable. Now, more than ever, our team of employees can focus on providing the best technology, the most reliable products and the most complete customer service in the industry.”